1 - Scheme Overview

This external quality assessment scheme assesses the accuracy of the most commonly performed biochemistry tests. Statistical reports are sent to the lab every week with supporting comments from the expert clinical biologist who coordinates the scheme.

Participating labs can choose to be assessed for all the analytes of this scheme, or simply a subset of analytes of interest.

2 - Assessment Frequency

New in 2025 : optimization of the scheme with a reduction in the number of surveys and the number of samples but maintaining the annual number of passages of each analyte. This reorganization responds to the request of registered laboratories (all accredited) to reduce the frequency of surveys while maintaining relevant statistical analyses.

Number of surveys per year: 22
Number of control samples per survey: 1 or 2
Number of samples per year: 32

Among the 62 analytes included in this scheme, you can choose to have from 18 to 31 analytes assessed during each investigation. Each analyte is assessed at least 4 times during the year for the least commonly used, and up to 16 times for the most commonly used.

3 - List of Analytes Assessed

• Chemistry 1: 5'Nucleotidase, ALAT (TGP), Albumin, ALP, Amylase, ASAT (TGO), Bicarbonates, Calcium, Chlorides, Cholesterol, CK, Conjugated bilirubin, Creatinine, CRP, GGT, Glucose, Lactates, LDH, Lipase, Magnesium, Osmolality, Phosphates, Potassium, Proteins, Sodium Total bilirubin, Triglycerides, Urea and Uric acid.
• Lipids: Apolipoprotein A1, Apolipoprotein A2, Apolipoprotein B, Apolipoprotein C2, Apolipoprotein C3, Cholesterol, Free Cholesterol, HDL Cholesterol, LDL Cholesterol, Lp(a), Phospholipids, Total bile acids and Triglycerides.
• Proteins: α₁-antitrypsin, α₂ -macroglobulin, Albumin, Ceruloplasmin, Complement C3, Complement C4, CRP, Cystatin C, Ferritin, Free light chains κ, Free light chains λ, Haptoglobin, IgA, IgG, IgM, Iron, Orosomucoid (Alpha-1-glycoprotein acid) , Prealbumin, Proteins, Retinol Binding Protein (RBP), Rheumatoid factor, Soluble Tranferrin Receptors (RsTf), Transferrin and Transferrin saturation coefficient.
• Other analytes assayed on specific samples: Ammoniac, high concentration bicarbonates and high concentration total bilirubin.

4 - Description of the Control Samples

Lyophilized (samples to be resuspended in 1, 2, or 5 mL of distilled water) or liquid (ready-to-use) human control serums.